By Meghan AslinIt’s that time in the election cycle that we all either dread or eagerly await for: the announcements of the running presidential candidates. Who should you keep an eye out for this running season?  The running season for the 2020 presidential election candidates has begun, and that means that almost half of the student body should keep their eyes out for the candidate(s) that piques their interest. With so much attention on the big names like Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden, it’s easy to neglect those who are newer to the playing field — one of those being Pete Buttigieg, the 37-year-old current mayor of South Bend, Indiana, home of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Buttigieg graduated at the top of his Harvard class, is an Afghanistan veteran and, although unsuccessful in his attempt, ran for Chair of the Democratic National Committee in 2017. However, he stands out from most of the run-of-the-mill politicians because he is openly gay. In fact, if he becomes the Democratic nominee, he will officially be the first openly gay presidential candidate ever to run from a major party. Interestingly enough, he publicly came out in an essay that was published in South Bend Tribune. In the essay, he stated, “Being gay has had no bearing on my job performance in business, in the military, or in my current role as mayor. It makes me no better or worse at handling a spreadsheet, a rifle, a committee meeting, or a hiring decision.” Keep your eyes out for Pete Buttigieg. Although his young age makes his chances of winning the presidential election slim, he will be a force to be reckoned with in future years. He may be the new face of hope for the LGBTQ+ community, teaching all of us that gender and sexuality have no effect on one’s qualifications. For a look at the other candidates running for president in 2020, check out the Time Magazine article here.
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